1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic parts installing system, and more particularly to a system for installing a plurality of parts substantially simultaneously on a workpiece by pressing the parts onto the workpiece.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
In the manufacture of machines such as automotive engines, it is often customary to install a number of parts on a workpiece with an automatically installing machine. Where parts are not required to be installed on a workpiece in a prescribed sequence in such an assembling process, the parts may be assembled on the workpiece substantially simultaneously for a higher rate of production. In some applications, a plurality of components must be installed in a relatively small area with high accuracy. For example, bearing caps supporting crankshaft bearings are installed on the cylinder block of a multicylinder internal combustion engine. In such an application, the installing process requires a special arrangement for simultaneous installation of the parts on the workpiece.
One conventional automatic installing apparatus having such an arrangement is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 58-34728 published March 1, 1983. The disclosed apparatus is an installing system for simultaneously installing one set of parts, such as bearing caps, required by a single internal combustion engine on a workpiece such as the cylinder block of the engine. The system has a pre-positioning device for arranging the parts in relative positions corresponding to respective positions assumed by the parts after being installed on the workpiece, and a transfer device for picking up the pre-positioned parts and moving them to respective positions over the workpiece. The system requires an area in which the parts can be pre-positioned by the pre-positioning device, and another area in which the pre-positioned parts can be picked up by the transfer device. These areas or spaces impose limitations on the designing of the overall system, and result in a large floor space which is taken up by the parts installing apparatus. Another problem is that the system has a low efficiency because of the time required to carry parts from the pre-positioning device over to the transfer device.